The present invention relates to a strap arranged for constricting about an object for gripping the object and more particularly to a method of removing a blade from a hockey stick by constricting the strap about the blade for gripping the blade.
Many commercially available hockey sticks include a replaceable blade in which the shaft of the hockey stick has a socket at one end thereof for slidably receiving the blade of the stick therein. The blade is typically snugly fit within the socket of the shaft and glued in place in order to be properly secured to the shaft. Removal and replacement of the blade thus requires heating the glue and pulling the blade from the shaft against considerable frictional forces due to the snug fit of the blade within the socket of the shaft.
Various devices have been proposed for assisting in gripping or replacing the blade of a hockey stick as demonstrated by the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,767 to Milam, U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,819 to Christian et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,873 to Sadler et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,850 to Anderson. None of these devices however are suitably arranged for portable use in various environments for gripping the blade of the hockey stick.
According one aspect of the present invention there is provided a strap for constricting about an object, the strap comprising:
a first loop having an anchored end connected to a first slide aperture and a constricting end slidably extending through the first slide aperture for constricting the first loop when the constricting end of the first loop is pulled away from the first slide aperture;
a second loop having an anchored end connected to a second slide aperture and a constricting end slidably extending through the second slide aperture for constricting the second loop when the constricting end of the second loop is pulled away from the second slide aperture;
the first slide aperture and the second slide aperture being connected in fixed position relative to one another; and
the constricting end of the first loop being anchored to the second loop whereby pulling the constricting end of the second loop constricts the second loop thereby pulling on the constricting end of the first loop to simultaneously constrict the first loop.
The use of two loops of material interconnected as described above, permits the strap to be constricted about an object much for securely than a simple noose for sufficiently gripping the object.
The first and second loops are preferably continuous with one another with the anchored end of the second loop being connected to the constricting end of the first loop and the first loop being connected between the anchored end of the second loop and the second slide aperture.
The first and second loops may be formed of a broad flat strip of woven nylon material. The resulting material is strong and flexible, while the broad flat shape evenly distributes the gripping force about the object.
An elongate looped handle may be connected to the constricting end of the second loop for ease of gripping.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of removing a blade slidably mounted and glued within a shaft of a hockey stick, said method comprising:
providing a strap comprising a first loop having an anchored end connected to a first slide aperture and a constricting end slidably extending through the first slide aperture for constricting the first loop when the constricting end of the first loop is pulled away from the first slide aperture; a second loop having an anchored end connected to a second slide aperture and a constricting end slidably extending through the second slide aperture for constricting the second loop when the constricting end of the second loop is pulled away from the second slide aperture; the first slide aperture and the second slide aperture being connected in fixed position relative to one another; the constricting end of the first loop being anchored to the second loop;
inserting the blade through the first and second loops respectively;
heating the glue between the blade and the shaft; and
pulling the constricting end of the second loop away from the shaft so as to constrict the second loop about the blade thereby pulling on the constricting end of the first loop to simultaneously constrict the first loop about the blade.
The method preferably includes forming the first and second loops continuous with one another with the anchored end of the second loop being connected to the constricting end of the first loop and the first loop being connected between the anchored end of the second loop and the second slide aperture.
When there is provided an elongate looped handle connected to the constricting end of the second loop, the method preferably includes anchoring the elongate looped handle on a fixed supporting surface and pulling the shaft away from the fixed supporting surface.